Dead Men Don't Tell Tales
by ScapeArtist
Summary: John and the crew try to fake out Scorpius in a bid to keep him from using the wormhole knowledge.
1. Default Chapter

Category: Action/Adventure  
  
Rating: PG/PG-13 (violence)  
  
Super Beta: Imloco2  
  
Disclaimer: I do not, nor have I ever, own/owned Farscape. But I like the people who do (Henson, et. al.). I'm sure they like me because I don't plan to, nor will I ever, make any money from this story.   
  
Spoilers: This takes place post-Fractures so, expect plenty of spoilers to that point.   
  
Summary: It's one scenario of how I thought John could "go to the command carrier and stop Scorpius."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
John leaned against the doorway and said quietly, "May I come in?"  
  
"Please...enter."  
  
Looking up from the command carrier schematics he brought from Talyn's libraries, Crais still registered slight shock at seeing Crichton at all. Normally, he wouldn't even consider dealing with Crichton as anything other than the cause of his brother's death, the end of his career, and so much of Aeryn's pain. But he knew better than that now. He knew Crichton would face death for his beliefs and his comrades. Still, to see him standing there...alive...  
  
"Look," John said. "I've had this idea kickin' around in my head, and I need to know some things. I would ask Aeryn, but...she...I can't." John looked off in the distance and grimaced.   
  
"Right. Go ahead," Crais waited.  
  
"What did you do with my...with the other John's body?"   
  
Crais moved away from the console, putting the film down. He was slightly taken aback.  
  
"He is in a cryo pod aboard Talyn at the moment. Aeryn wasn't willing to give you...him...a Peacekeeper burial. We weren't sure of your customs so we..."  
  
"Deep freeze."  
  
"Yes."  
  
John walked past Crais, nodding slowly to himself. With his back to him, John said, "Good. I think we're going to need him."  
  
At first, Crais thought that Crichton had gone completely insane. "We cannot bring him back from the dead...you are aware of that?"  
  
"What?! No! That's the last thing I want to do. Way too Stephen King for me..." John ran his hand through his hair trying to keep down the shiver that was climbing up his neck.  
  
"What do you want him for then?"  
  
John turned to face Crais.  
  
"Well...here's the thing...Scorpius doesn't know I was twinned. Right? He doesn't know there is only one of me left. If we can convince him that I am out of his reach for good, then we have an edge on him, yes?"  
  
Crais, pacing--hands behind his back, was silent for a moment. They needed whatever advantage they could gain against a fully armed, fully manned Peacekeeper Command Carrier. "Go on."  
  
"Once we find the carrier, we send him the body as proof that I am dead. He thinks that we are no longer a threat of any kind. And we aren't an asset either. We're nothing. Nada."  
  
"Yes, yes, I see your point. He would not expect trouble from us later on. His guard would be down, so to speak."  
  
"Bingo. I knew you would understand." John gave a quick nod then glanced at Crais. "I need something else from you." John looked Crais in the eyes hoping that his next idea would be as accepted.  
  
"What is it?"   
  
"I need you to talk to Aeryn about it. She has to be OK with this. I won't hurt her anymore than I already have...or do. I know that if it were me in the Frigidaire...well, hell, it IS me in there...I would want to know that I didn't die for nothing and that the people I love were safe...always."  
  
At that moment, Crais would rather he had asked for anything else...his brother's life, his career, even Talyn. He just couldn't bear the thought of being a party to more pain for Aeryn.   
  
"I know, I know," John said. "What if she kills the messenger, right? I would talk to her myself about it, but she would think I'm being...heartless...disrespectful. And these days, she barely makes eye contact or small talk. But you, Crais," John put his hand on Crais' shoulder, "you know what she is going through and I think she knows you don't want to hurt her. But you saw what that wormhole knowledge is capable of doing and you understand the situation we are in. You can convince her this is right and that it is what he would have wanted. It's what I would want."  
  
Crais simply nodded. What else could he do? Every other plan was foolhardy at best, sacrificial at the worst. This one at least had a glimmer of hope. He would do it.   
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"No, no, NO! I won't allow it."  
  
"Aeryn. You must be reasonable about this. We have little advantage as it is."  
  
"Reasonable? You call sending John's body to his enemy reasonable? Is this some sort of crazy human ritual I'm unaware of?"  
  
Crais could see the fire in Aeryn's eyes as he tried to explain to her the merits, few though they were, of this plan. She stood there, arms crossed, frown firmly in place, waiting for his answer.  
  
"At first, no, I did not think it reasonable. But you must listen. Scorpius will think that John is dead. He may even believe that Talyn and I are dead, too, if Xhalax kept her promise. This gives us the ability to go undetected, unnoticed."  
  
Aeryn remained unmoved, suspicious. "To do what?"  
  
Crais, snapped to attention and began walking around Aeryn as if inspecting her. "Officer Sun, need I remind you that to wage a successful campaign, you need reconnaissance? We can use the proof of John's death as a means to infiltrate and find out how much Scorpius knows and where he keeps the data."  
  
Aeryn's arms dropped to her sides and she closed her eyes, letting out a brief sigh. Frelling Peacekeeper tactics. She knew it was right, knew HE was right. Straightening up again, she ran her hand over her hair and down her braid. She adjusted her pulse pistol in its holster. "Fine. We will send John's body to Scorpius."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
Crais turned and left Aeryn alone in her quarters where she sunk down to the floor and contemplated losing John yet again.   
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Come on, Pip, wait!" John was half trotting behind her as she headed towards the galley.  
  
"Give it a rest, Crichton."  
  
John caught up with Chiana, grabbing her elbow and turning her towards him just as she reached the doorway to the galley--she could see D'Argo following behind him. "Look, Chiana, it's not like we're asking you to go hang out at the mall all day with Jool. This is really important."  
  
"Humph. Like I would want to spend an extra microt with that tralk..." Jool huffed as she stood up quickly, rattling her dishes. "And I would thank you not to talk about me like I'm not here."  
  
John closed his eyes and tapped his fist on his forehead. "Sorry...Jool...I didn't mean it that way...Jool?"   
  
She brushed past them, strands of curly red hair floating on the air in her wake.  
  
"Way to go, Crichton." Chiana rolled her eyes and pulled away from his grasp. D'Argo entered the room with John and sat down across from Chiana who had gathered a small dish of food cubes. It had been a while since they hit a commerce planet with anything other than military supplies.  
  
"Chiana," D'Argo said using his most persuasive tone. "You are the only person who can do this successfully. Scorpius has no reason to keep you, and you know how to sneak around better than anyone. And you will be there for one solar day--no more. We have no other option without your help."  
  
Chiana popped a food cube in her mouth and looked at them blandly.   
  
"When are you going to see that we all have to help if we are to succeed?" D'Argo asked, his patience already thinning.  
  
"I thought this was John's path." Chiana retorted.  
  
John's head dropped, his hands covered his face. "Yeah, Chiana, it is. And I wouldn't ask you to do anything that would put you in any real danger."  
  
"Right. Going on a Peacekeeper Command Carrier to spy isn't the least bit dangerous. What are you frelling fahrbot?"  
  
Chiana looked from John to D'Argo and back at John again. She could tell D'Argo was trying very hard not to lean over the table and throttle her. His knuckles were white and his eyes narrowed with frustration. John just looked tired. The dark circles under his eyes and the stubble on his face made him seem older than she had ever noticed. She didn't really want to deny him help, but she also didn't want to see him end up like the other John either.   
  
John leaned forward, searching her face and said, "Chiana, do you know what the Peacekeepers will do with the information once they figure out how to use it? They are going to frell everyone that gets in their way. That includes the Nebari."  
  
Chiana snorted and tossed the foodcube she was about to bite into back on the plate. "I don't give a frell about the Nebari."  
  
"No?" John questioned. "Do you think they are going to distinguish between the Stepford Wives and the James Deans? Do you honestly believe that they'll ask for Nerri to leave first so they can do their dirty work?"  
  
"Nerri..." Chiana blanched and the fear of losing her brother overtook her again.  
  
D'Argo reached across the table and covered Chiana's trembling hand with his. Chiana slowly pulled it away, and said, somewhat defeated, "You win, old man. I'm in. What's your plan?"  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
She hadn't been down there since before he died in her arms. Aeryn had watched helplessly as Stark and Crais had carried John's body away, still covered in the red blanket they shared. They had taken him to the med bay to initiate the cryogenic process to keep him until they found Moya again, and then they placed him in the cryo pod stored at the back of the cargo bay. It was hard not to think of him back there alone in the dark--it was even harder to think of jettisoning his body into cold space. But now, she would have preferred he was floating millions of metras away than used as a decoy to fool Scorpius, whom she secretly doubted could be deceived at all.   
  
"Lights, please, Talyn"  
  
As Aeryn walked through the doors of the cargo bay, soft lights diffusing the metallic sterility of the room preceded her. Empty provision crates and replacement parts for Talyn's weaponry lined the walls, but the room was basically empty. Talyn rarely hauled any cargo. She took a deep breath and another hesitant step toward her destination.  
  
Reaching out slowly, she touched the slick gray hydrohonium chamber, and ran her hands across the top, feeling the coldness in her soul. Green lights flickered along the regulator panel letting her know John was still safely in his frozen state. Aeryn leaned over and touched her forehead to where John's head was underneath all those layers of steel and insulate.  
  
This is not what I wanted for you...for us, she thought. But I suppose you had other plans as well.  
  
Aeryn took another deep breath. I won't let that bastard keep you, John. I will make sure of that myself, she vowed silently. Touching the purely mechanical vessel, she found it hard to believe that her flesh-and-blood John could be in there.   
  
She moved along the length of the cryo pod, never taking her hand from it. I will see to it you are buried according to your custom. I cannot take you back to Earth, but when this mission is over, I will take you to the Royal planet and bury you so you can at least be near your daughter. She may never know, but I'll know.  
  
Despite the emptiness around her, Aeryn could still feel John's presence, and took comfort that she hadn't forgotten what it felt like to just be near him. It was as if she was picking up on an unfinished conversation about the things they would accomplish together. You...well, the other you, has a plan. He's probably going to get us all frelling killed. Aeryn smiled to herself and raised an eyebrow. But I would expect nothing less.  
  
Silence surrounded her, but Aeryn felt the heaviness of her heart lighten for the first time in weekens. "I do miss you, John Crichton," she admitted aloud, listening to the words echo in the empty bay. "I will always love you." And one of these days I will find you again, she added quietly to herself.   
  
She didn't have much time left. D'Argo would be here within the arn to bring John's body to Moya's transport pod. She didn't want them to know she had been there. If she didn't leave now, she doubted she could let them go through with this plan.   
  
Closing her eyes to hold back the tears beginning to fall, Aeryn pressed her lips against the door then straightened up. Before she turned to leave, with one last caress, she tried to say good-bye, but something inside her rejected that idea completely. We've never said good-bye before, and I won't say it now. Fate will bring us back together like always.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Sir, you are needed in command." Scorpius looked up from his work analyzing the incomplete equations upon hearing the request.  
  
"Is there a problem, Braca?"  
  
"I really think you should see this yourself, sir."  
  
Braca was not one to waste his time with trivialities. "Very well."  
  
When he reached command, he did not need explanation for his summons. He waved off Braca who had begun to brief him of the situation.  
  
"Ah...Ka D'Argo...this IS a surprise."  
  
The Luxan's grim image filled the view screen. Surely, he looked imposing to some species, Scorpius observed. D'Argo wasted no time getting to his point for communicating with Scorpius.  
  
"Crichton is dead. His last request was to make it known to you, so, as he said, you would leave us all the frell alone. It is my pleasure to oblige."  
  
"Dead you say?" Scorpius responded, the skepticism evident with each word.  
  
"I do not lie. Especially not about something as serious as this. He knew you wouldn't believe it on word alone, so he requested we send you his body for one solar day as proof."  
  
"How... may I ask...did Crichton die?"  
  
"Moya's radiation filters malfunctioned and his human physiology was unable to withstand it."  
  
"Very unfortunate."  
  
Under his fa 


	2. Chapter 2

Aeryn...John thought immediately. She got out. His first reaction of relief and joy at seeing her again vanished like a shooting star. Wait...John burst into a sprint and headed towards the docking bay. He released Winona from her place strapped to his leg and called out to Pilot, "Did you say Prowler-s? More than one?"  
  
"Two! And they will overtake Chiana in ten microts. She is within range of the docking web right now."  
  
"Crais! D'Argo! Did you get all that?"  
  
"I'm on my way."  
  
"Right behind you!"  
  
It was D'Argo's voice again--"John, Crais, they can't know you are here. They may have time to relay that to Scorpius. You must stay out of sight."  
  
"Frell!" What to do...what to...he was almost there. Got it! "Crais, get into an access shaft. We can come around behind them and take them out that way. D'Argo, you distract them."  
  
"Right!" they said in unison.  
  
John ducked into the nearest shaft and deftly maneuvered through the tight space until he found himself in a spot where he could better assess the situation. He had gotten there just in time to see the Prowlers land on either side of the transport pod. Chiana must have seen them come in from behind her because she was frantically trying to climb down the steps of the transport and run for safety before the Commandos emptied out of their fighters. John trained his pulse pistol on the closest Prowler trying to cover Chiana's exit. He hoped to hell that Crais or D'Argo was covering the other side. She ran as fast as she could to the maintenance bay and took cover.  
  
The hatch to the Prowler closest to him opened and a black-clad Commando hopped out of his seat with relative ease, holding a pulse rifle at the ready. He did a methodical search around the transport pod making sure no one could sneak up on them, then continued over to the other Prowler, where that Commando's feet were just hitting the floor with a loud clomp. Slow and deliberate, visually scanning the areas around them, they moved forward with their guns primed. The first Commando gave an order to his subordinate as he continued to scan the area ahead of and around them.  
  
"Garen...eliminate the girl and the Luxan and anyone else you find. I will meet you in command after I incapacitate the Pilot. We need to get this Leviathan back to Scorpius."  
  
Garen broke away and cautiously walked toward the exit. John watched their progress another moment. Where was D'Argo? What the frell was he waiting for? He expected to hear the blast from D'Argo's Qualta blade or even Crais' pulse pistol. Maybe Crais didn't have a good shot, but D'Argo? He should have been charging in here microts ago with a diversion. John was about to unload Winona into the squad leader when a familiar sound stopped him. For a split second, he thought it was Bowling for Dollars night when he realized he better get the hell away from the shaft opening. Now.   
  
The blast tore through the fuselage of the Prowler on the far side of the transport sending shrapnel in every direction. Even in the shaft, the light from the explosion was bright enough to make John turn his head away. When the debris began to settle, he could hear the moans of one of the Commandos nearby. He headed back to the opening leading to the docking bay and could see the squad leader attempting to get up even though a piece of metal lodged in his leg and another immobilized his arm. He was using his rifle as leverage to stand and get to his troop who was lying dead a couple of metras away. John and Crais both came out of hiding, weapons drawn, still out of sight to the struggling Peacekeeper. From the smoke came a whirring sound followed by Rygel on his throne sled going about hech five toward the Commando. John and Crais looked at each other, surprise on both their faces, and stopped in their tracks. John could just barely make out D'Argo and Chiana walking through the hangar door as Rygel pulled up close to the wounded man.  
  
"Die you Peacekeeper bastard." He pulled out a weapon John had never seen before and stabbed him in the chest. The Peacekeeper contorted as convulsions shook his body. Rygel pulled out the Ractor he had acquired from the Charrid on Dam Ba Da, dropping the Peacekeeper to the floor--dead.  
  
Walking toward Rygel, John put Winona away. "That was pretty...Rambo of you, Sparky."  
  
Rygel adjusted his robes and looked at Crichton. "Yotz! You didn't think I would trust one of your fahrbot plans to go smoothly, did you? Scorpius is not going to just 'let' us get away, or have you lost your frelling mind once and for all?"  
  
John was about to defend his plan for the millionth time when everyone else joined them near the dead Commandos. Looking around at the damage, one Prowler was totaled, the transport pod had minor damage, and the second Prowler had some scratches and dings. Looked to be in good shape. John glanced at Rygel again and began to chuckle. "So, Buckwheat, I see you finally figured out the problem with the Stevva Crystals...I'm sure Durka would be very proud."  
  
Proudly, Rygel answered, "I've been practicing."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
They didn't have much time to waste. Scorpius would send another squad to capture Moya if his men did not communicate with him soon. Crais had told them he believed that because Talyn should have been reported destroyed by the retrieval squad, they would want Moya to produce more gun ships like Talyn for the coming war. They had to let Moya starburst to safety, so John, Crais and D'Argo prepared to leave. John packed his bag quickly throwing in his notes and schematics as well as some extra clothes and a spare Peacekeeper officer uniform. He ran down the corridor to Aeryn's quarters. He found a bag on her floor that looked half-packed, so he filled the rest of it with clothing for her hoping that she would need them. With the two bags flung over his shoulder, John raced to meet Crais and D'Argo.  
  
"Pilot!" he yelled as he ran down to the docking hangar. "Do you have the rendezvous coordinates?"  
  
"You gave them to me yourself, Commander."  
  
"Right. And you've got the DRDs fixing the transport pod incase the girls and Rygel need it?"  
  
"Of, course," Pilot answered just as John was just reaching the doors to cut through the maintenance bay. He could see sparks shoot out of electric panels as a flock of DRDs busily tried to fix the damage done by Rygel's bomb.  
  
"Well, be careful out there, Pilot."   
  
"You too, Commander."  
  
D'Argo and Crais were already waiting on the pad by D'Argo's ship when John trotted up to them. Jool, Chiana and Rygel stood nearby waiting to see them off. Their good-byes were rushed and the girls looked pensive. John hugged Jool and told her to keep practicing her medical skills incase he needed them later. When it was her turn, Chiana threw her arms around him and whispered in his ear, "Don't worry about Aeryn. She'll come back to you. She promised before I left."  
  
Chiana's words were only mildly comforting. He was sure she had promised to return, but to him? He seriously doubted that. Letting Chiana go, he said, "Thanks, Pip. And, hey, try not kill each other before we get back, OK?"  
  
John patted his bag and said to Rygel, "Hey Sparky, got all my stuff with me. Nothin' for you to think about takin'."  
  
Rygel harrumphed, and said, "So that is the thanks I get for saving your pathetic mivonks? Yotz. For all our sakes, Crichton, I hope your plan does work. Just don't come crying to me when it doesn't." He spun his throne sled around and glided away from the parting friends.  
  
John turned to D'Argo and lightly punched his bulky upper arm. "Are you ready, big guy?"  
  
"Since the day I was taken prisoner."  
  
"Well, then, I'll be right behind you. See you on Talyn."   
  
D'Argo and Crais got into D'Argo's ship and John climbed into the Prowler. He flipped some switches and fired up the engines and watched patiently as D'Argo smoothly took off. John was not overly confident flying the Prowler, but before he, well, Harvey, destroyed Aeryn's Prowler, she had been showing him how to operate it. He had picked it up quickly enough, but he preferred the...familiarity of his module. He knew though, the Prowler would come in handy when the time came to board the Command Carrier.  
  
John exited Moya and watched as she starburst away. As beautiful as it was, it was also one of his least favorite views. Without Aeryn, Moya was his only safety net. She was his only other comfort in the vast universe he was now fumbling through and it momentarily stunned him not to see her graceful form sailing through the stars.  
  
"Finally, some peace and quiet."  
  
"Maybe for you, Harv. Why don't you beat it and let me have some too?"  
  
"Really, John, I just wanted to...catch up on old times. See how you were faring without Officer Sun."  
  
"Can it."  
  
"Ah, touchy subject. Or, not so touchy subject?" Scorpius' neural clone laughed to himself.  
  
"Ha...ha."  
  
"Seriously, John. Your plan will get her killed. And that's what she wants. She would rather be dead than be with you."  
  
John concentrated on flying the Prowler and staying within sight of D'Argo's ship. He glanced down at the console to make sure everything looked ok. They hadn't had time after the blast to really test to make sure the Prowler would run properly. So far so good.  
  
Harvey continued, "On further reflection, I believe Officer Sun would rather be a Peacekeeper again than be with you. Have you thought of that? Maybe she's...giving you up...to Scorpius right now."  
  
"You know what, Harvey? You know less about Aeryn than you do me, so why don't you just...shut...up?"  
  
"Very well. But your plan will fail and then Aeryn surely won't want to have anything to do with you. If she's still alive."  
  
John went on ignoring Harvey and finally, he could no longer feel his presence behind him. He peeked over his shoulder just to be sure. Nothing but baggage back there. His and Aeryn's.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Talyn had the vid link up and running when John stepped on to command. He noted how Talyn had grown since he had last been there about a cycle ago during a run in with the Plokavoids...Plokavians. There were no additional control consoles, but the rooms seemed...less close. Maybe it was just that Aeryn was not with him this time.  
  
On the view screen, Crais, D'Argo, and John watched over the shoulders of Peacekeeper scientists as Techs hustled around and inside the Prowler docked in an adjacent room to the lab. Scorpius was no where to be seen.  
  
"This thing get the Playboy channel too?" John asked.  
  
Ignoring Crichton, Crais hit a button that changed the view to Scorpius's quarters. Crais was more than familiar with the room--it was laid out exactly like his had been--but Scorpius lacked the combat experience that brought with it a taste for the exotic. Scorpius came up through the ranks of scientists. His quarters looked more like a lab than the lab did. His neural observation equipment along with his cooling rod maintenance gear took up one corner of the room, and an Aurora chair and control console had been built into another corner of the room. Crichton's jaw twitched slightly at seeing the chair again.  
  
"So this is how the other half lives." Again, no Scorpius. John turned to Crais and asked, "Any contact from Aeryn yet?"  
  
"Talyn was able to make the connection and Aeryn confirmed that with him. She told him she was going to look for a safer place to hide until we returned. I have not spoken with her yet."  
  
John tried to maintain his poker face in front of Crais, but D'Argo could see his obvious relief and thumped Crichton on the back. "Can we contact her now?" D'Argo asked.  
  
"I believe we should be a bit closer so we can make sure any prolonged contact remains undetected," Crais suggested. "We need to be in visual contact with the carrier so we can see if other ships will block the link."  
  
John, seemingly deep in thought, asked, "How are we going to get that close without being seen?" The silence that answered him was broken after a moment or two.  
  
"I know how we can do it."  
  
John and Crais both turned to look at D'Argo who had a small smile playing across his lips. "My ship. It has a deception shroud.   
  
"You...are...THE MAN!" John exclaimed, throwing D'Argo a high-five.  
  
Crais was not as enthusiastic. "Ka D'Argo, we can not possibly hide Talyn with a deception shroud made for a ship a fraction of his size."  
  
John began looking around Talyn's command at the different systems monitors. There had to be a way to make this work. He had to talk to Aeryn. Hear her voice for himself. That was it.  
  
"We can amplify it. Surround sound."  
  
"The point is not to be noticed, Crichton. Making noise will just draw attention..." Crais interjected, perplexed as always by this human's notions.  
  
"No, no. Crais...doesn't Talyn have some sort of defense shield?"  
  
Crais nodded. "Yes, this IS a Peacekeeper vessel."  
  
"Well, can we patch D'Argo's cloaking device into the defense shield systems?"  
  
"Deception shroud, Crichton" D'Argo corrected.  
  
"Yeah, yeah...deception shroud...cloaking device...baseball hat and sunglasses...whatever. Just so long as hides Talyn. Can it be done?"  
  
Crais thought about it for a moment or two. "Possibly. If Talyn will allow it and the technology is compatible. Ka D'Argo, why don't you and I see what can be accomplished?"  
  
Leaning in to speak to John, D'Argo said quietly, "Don't worry, John, I will make sure this works."  
  
"I know you will, D."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
As Crais and D'Argo worked at connecting the shields, John continued his surveillance on Scorpius. A team of scientists--strangely they were alien and not Sebacean--huddled around a 3-D hologram of a wormhole. They seemed to be conferring about something that John could not hear. A Prowler had returned with only the liquid remains of yet another pilot Scorpius had condemned to death in his pursuit of successful wormhole travel, and the commotion drowned out the scientists' meeting. John knew now that Linfer had not been lying to them about Scorpius' experiments.   
  
He watched some more as the Techs cleaned out the Prowler and the scientists ran numbers on their consoles that slightly altered the model of the wormhole each time. He had yet to see Scorpius, but this was a Command Carrier and he was in charge of it. Other duties must be calling. John switched back over to the view of Scorpius' quarters and within microts, he entered the room followed by Braca.  
  
"Well, if it isn't the Uncharted Territories own Marquis de Sade..." John mumbled.   
  
Scorpius took a seat on the edge of a table while Braca opened up his case of coolant rods to begin the replacement process. The chamber in Scorpius' head piece began spinning its way out of his brain. Braca reached in to pull out the glowing red rod--shades of revulsion flickering across his face--and set a neon-blue rod in its place. John couldn't think of a more unappealing job. Amused though, he wondered if Braca received some sort of hazard pay for his trouble. Scorpius dismissed Braca--ordering him to oversee the work being done in the lab.  
  
Scorpius remained on the table, his eyes closed, for a few moments. John had never seen him look so...worn out. Ugly, yes, diabolical, more often than not, but tired? He just figured Scorpius was hell's version of the Energizer Bunny. This was definitely a new side. Perhaps Scorpy's wormhole obsession was taking its toll on him. John, for the first time since their unfortunate acquaintance began, could relate. It made his skin crawl just thinking about it.   
  
Suddenly, Scorpius opened his eyes and pointedly turned his head as if he heard something. Stepping down from the table, he began to walk toward his desk. He seemed agitated. John got closer to the screen to watch...and listen.  
  
"Really, I don't need you chastising me about losing those pilots," Scorpius said as he pushed around a data chip on his desk.  
  
"It is not my fault...if you would just...cooperate...and give me the information this 'waste' would not continue."  
  
Scorpius picked up the chip and pushed it into the console on his desk. "See, John, this all rests on your shoulders...You are responsible for all these deaths. The solution is simple: work with me."  
  
John panicked for a microt thinking that Scorpius somehow knew he was still alive. Knew he was observing him. Maybe his plan had already failed. Before he could complete his thought, Scorpius interrupted.  
  
"Yes, yes, I do have the information I need...But my scientists do not understand it. I need you to put it all together. Make some...sense of it." Hovering above the desk, millions of numbers, symbols, and equations streamed down and watching from Talyn, John couldn't help but think of playing Centipede at the arcade as a teenager. He was mesmerized at what had come out of his head. He wished it were either still only in his head or that his head had never left Earth's orbit. Some days it was tough to decide which.  
  
Scorpius snapped off the mathematical display and said, "I have no idea what a...flying pig is, John. Will you help me or not?"  
  
John began snickering to himself knowing full well Scorpy wasn't going to get what he wanted and before he knew it, he was belly-laughing, leaning against Talyn's command console, trying to gain some composure. Crais and D'Argo were just coming back in the room to test the deception shroud, but they remained frozen in the doorway--Crais trying to figure out what was effecting him this time, and D'Argo waiting to find out what was so frelling funny.  
  
"You guys are never going to believe this...I just caught Scorpy talking to me...well not me. A Harvey of me. ...is he a sucker or what?!!" John laughed, wiping the tears from his eyes.  
  
D'Argo rolled his eyes and shook his head, "Great. Frelling neuroclones. And I'm assuming his version of you is as irritating as the real thing?"  
  
"Of course...and then some...I did get information though." John took a deep breath and pointed to the screen. "Seems that Scorpy has data stored in his quarters as well as in the lab. We are going to have break into both locations."  
  
Crais eased his way between John and the console and began the sequence to activate the defense shield. As he did so, he said to John, "If this is operational, then we can be within visual range of the Command Carrier within an arn or so."  
  
John moved farther out of Crais' way and said, "Well, Copperfield, do your magic..."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Aeryn?...It's John...Can you hear me?"  
  
"Mmm hmm," came the sleepy voice. She sighed deeply, "...Miss you..."  
  
"No...Aeryn." His heart sank listening to the longing in her voice and knowing that it was not him she longed for or missed. He felt like a broken record playing the same words over and over. Not me, not me.  
  
"Wake up, Aeryn. It's..." he could barely choke the words out. "The other John."   
  
Clearing her throat, he could hear her shifting her position, collecting herself. "Right. Crichton. I can hear you."  
  
"Good...good. Are you all right? Are you safe?"  
  
"Yes, I just fell asleep for a little while. I'm hiding near the waste vents and no one ever comes down this way. What took you so long to contact me? I've been waiting for arns."  
  
"Scorpy decided to send Chiana back with some wiseguys, so it slowed us down a bit. Good news though. I got you a new Prowler...well Rygel got you a new Prowler."  
  
"Good. Is the vid link working properly?"  
  
"Perfect--you're even better than McGyver. We can practically count their nosehairs."  
  
"I should hope it would be more useful than that."  
  
"It is...it is. Scorpius has a copy of the information on a data chip he keeps in his quarters as well as in the lab on the main system. Oh, yeah, one more place...in a neural clone of me in his head".  
  
"That's not funny."  
  
"Not Seinfeld funny, no. But pretty damn ironic anyway, don't you think?"  
  
"Let me guess, you found this out watching him bang his head against a wall?"  
  
"More or le...What are you trying to say, Aeryn?"  
  
"Nothing. What's your plan now?"  
  
"First, we are going to get you out of there and then I am going to take care of the rest."  
  
"Don't be ridiculous," Aeryn argued. "I volunteered to be here, remember? You cannot just make me leave."  
  
John ran his hand over his face. "Aeryn, I won't be responsible for you getting hurt...or worse. All of this mess is my problem. Not yours."  
  
John was met with silence and he thought maybe Aeryn had cut the communication. After a microt she answered him with a softness he hadn't heard from her before. "John, I have to see this through no matter what the cost. Please."  
  
John sighed. As much as he hated putting her at greater risk, he knew he needed her there. For her skills and for the strength she brought out in him. "All right, Aeryn. Together. We'll finish this together."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Aeryn had waited long enough. She was not interested in waiting for John to meet her and she was not interested in watching him die either. Surely if he showed his face anywhere near the carrier, Scorpius would find out. She had to take care of this before they were to meet. If she could take care of it alone, they could all be safe. She loved John Crichton, but his plans always went frelling wrong. Her plan would work.   
  
Once again, she gathered up her Tech bag and worked her way back up to the main corridor. Through a portal, Aeryn could see a swirling, silver-blue, liquid-like funnel swaying back and forth rhythmically several thousand metras ahead. Another Prowler was disappearing into it. She felt nothing but loathing for this object that had been the cause of so much pain and obsession. The only good that ever came of it was John Crichton and now even he had brought her immeasurable grief. Completing this mission would erase some of her pain and maybe put the John she had chosen at rest. Standing around looking at it wouldn't accomplish anything though.   
  
Surprising an off-duty Commando, Aeryn knocked her out and stole her ident chip for good measure. She needed to get to the lab, but figured Scorpius would be there supervising the testing so she would head for his quarters first. Passing the lab, Aeryn found out she was right. Through the window she could see Scorpius sneering at his team of scientists as they timidly tried to explain something to him. Good. Knowing the officer class, it would be a while before he finished dressing them down. She had just enough time to get in there, steal the disk, erase the information on his console, and get out.   
  
She pretended to be searching through her Tech bag as she stood near Scorpius' quarters. The guards patrolling the corridor ignored her and continued past. Aeryn reached into her pocket and used Braca's chip to enter. She recognized most of the equipment in the room from her various run-ins with Scorpius while helping John. She wished she had some of the paste Zhaan had made for John to sabotage his cooling rods again. Maybe she could save the neuralclone, too, by killing Scorpius. If she had the time she would try. First though, she had to erase the information on the data chip. She hoped Scorpius had left it in the console.   
  
Finding the data chip had been easy, but destroying it was not possible, even for her. She would give it to John and maybe he would be able to unlock the information she was sure was in his head too. Then he could go home to Earth, and she could move on with her life. She put the chip in a secret slot in her boot where she usually carried an extra knife. Sitting down at the desk, Aeryn began wiping out information from the data console.  
  
She heard her name and then the whoosh of the door sliding open when it was too late. Scorpius was standing at the door, his cold blue eyes freezing her where she sat.  
  
"Officer Sun, isn't it?...I was under the impression you were dead," Scorpius said. "Certainly you will be once I am through with you." 


	3. Chapter 3

John raced down Talyn's corridor to command. Crais had sounded almost frantic when he commed him. All he had to say was "It's Aeryn," and John dropped the uniform he was about to change into and ran.   
  
Every fear John had about losing Aeryn was staring him in the face when he looked at the view screen. Aeryn sat strapped to the Aurora chair, her face hiding any of her own fear but sweat was beginning to bead on her forehead. A trickle of blood rolled down her cheek from the small cut beneath her eye. Scorpius manned the controls beside her, tracking her brainwaves. John's face grew redder with each passing second he was unable to speak or move--until all he could do was yell at the screen in frustration and at his own anger for letting her stay.   
  
"Let her go, you son of a bitch!"  
  
Crais reached a hand out to restrain Crichton, but it was slapped aside as John turned on him. "Why didn't you warn her?"  
  
"I tried...I didn't know she was in there...I had been watching Scorpius in the lab and didn't change views until I thought he would be in his quarters. She wasn't supposed to be there...How was I to know, Crichton?"   
  
Crais, in his distraction, looked almost helpless. John wanted desperately to blame him for something...anything...but he was too busy blaming himself--again or was that *still*? Until this frelling mission was complete and Aeryn was far away and safe, he doubted he would ever stop feeling guilty and responsible for everything that happened to her. Maybe not even then.  
  
Before he could give Crais any kind of answer or apology, the sound of Aeryn's voice snapped his mind back to the train wreck that was his reality.   
  
"Look, if you're going to kill me, Scorpius, then kill me. Why waste your time with this?"  
  
"Because, Officer Sun, I believe you know something. Why else would you be sabotaging my data?"  
  
"Because you drove Crichton crazy until he died and I wanted you to suffer too."  
  
"Well...now it won't be me doing the suffering...will it?...Shall we begin?"  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
The pain filling Aeryn's head was all too familiar. The memories flashing across the large screen in front of her were no different than the ones she saw daily over and over--eyes open or closed they were the same. The happy ones--bittersweet; the painful ones--excruciating. Scorpius wasn't doing anything she hadn't done to herself. Still, the physical pain was increasing. Focus...  
  
Scorpius bypassed all her early memories--the first time her mother came to her out of love...her affair with Velorek and the effects of her betrayal...her mission to subdue the prisoners' revolt on the escaping Leviathan--this was not the information Scorpius cared about--this was Peacekeeper record and Aeryn was able to distance herself. She was not that Peacekeeper any longer. What she could not distance herself from was her first memories of John Crichton. She could feel her chest beginning to tighten.  
  
Aeryn gritted her teeth and strained to keep her eyes closed against the tide of images rushing past bringing with them all the emotion she had been forcing down or ignoring by sheer will these past weekens. Haughty disdain at their first encounters...tumbling over...the awe at his continued survival in spite of himself...sliding into...her growing respect for his opinions...meshing with...his reliable, unquestioning sense of loyalty to Moya and the others...bound to...her comfort at his presence...slamming headlong into her complete love for him. Aeryn could no longer hold back the scream that worked its way up from the cold, empty pit in her belly. She could hear her voice repeating back the words she used with John: you must confront your fears with strength.   
  
Aeryn opened her eyes. She thought maybe she had died once and for all--for before her was Zhaan's peaceful face soothing her mind, easing her soul, and guiding her back. Even if it was only for a half a microt. It was all she needed. Quick, shallow gasps gave way to deep breaths. If she could just focus again...think clearly...fool him...Crichton and Stark had been able to do it...  
  
"Revenge is a noble pursuit, Officer Sun. Pity yours is so...misguided."   
  
"John was right...I should have killed you when I had the chance at the Depository," Aeryn half choked, half laughed.  
  
"And you should have stayed dead, my dear. Now...let's see what you and Crichton have been doing since we last met."  
  
Aeryn was ready this time. She cried out louder than before hoping it would convince Scorpius that he had finally broken her. Using her rudimentary ability to multi-task--thanks to Pilot's DNA--she shifted her focus away from the pain of the probing, shut out everything around her, and concentrated on her memories.  
  
She pictured them working to free Moya from Neeyala's ship...their last moments with Zhaan...fighting the Venek hoards...finding Talyn and Crais so badly injured...leaving Moya with John to help Crais and Talyn avoid her mother's retrieval squad...  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
John's neuroclone momentarily blocked Scorpius' view. He looked pained and relieved all at once. He reached out to touch the woman only to see his fingers pass right through her bruised cheek.  
  
"I was wondering when you would make an appearance," Scorpius commented off-handedly.  
  
"Aeryn..." the clone whispered, "you're alive..." In one fluid movement John released his pulse pistol from it's holster and turned it on Scorpius. "Let her go, Scorpius. She doesn't know...anything."  
  
"Go ahead and shoot, Crichton. You cannot kill me. You don't exist," Scorpius said, ignoring the threat. "And I beg to differ. I believe she knows quite a bit. See for yourself."  
  
Still holding on tightly to his pulse pistol, John's neuroclone moved between Scorpius and Aeryn and watched transfixed as the relationship he had dreamed of with her played out before him. He took it all in--the touches, the love-making, the practically tangible electricity that connected them with every glance, the moments of laughter, the intimacy of shared dreams. Everything. But then "Jack" arrived the honeymoon was over.   
  
And that's when Scorpius took notice.   
  
"Who may I ask is that...being...with your module?"  
  
"Furlow," the neuroclone responded.  
  
This...Furlow...creature was in possession of the data as well as the ability to use it. That WOULD prove useful. He could get to Dam Ba Da quickly enough to track her down. Surely he could negotiate something that would benefit...him. Scorpius glanced away for a moment, his plan to retrieve the mechanic and Crichton's module already taking shape. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw a flash of light and then Crichton's last words with Officer Sun. He stopped the probing just as John Crichton's final living moment lay frozen on the screen.   
  
"Officer Sun, it seems your...friends...lied to me about Crichton's death. And his life. I believe there is something we need to revisit."  
  
John's clone squatted down next to Aeryn. She sat there, limp, drenched in sweat and breathing hard. Scorpius pressed some buttons on the console, causing Aeryn to cry out and buck against the restraints holding her in the chair.   
  
"What are you doing to her?!! Stop it! You're killing her!!!"   
  
"There..." Scorpius pointed to the view screen as a ring of fire created by John's module spun around mouth of the wormhole. He stood there, smugly satisfied as a rolling ball of flame emerged through the wormhole, engulfing the Scarren dreadnought.   
  
Coming from behind the Aurora chair controls, Scorpius watched in fascination as he let the memory play over and over again. "Yes...yes...that IS the weapon I had been hoping for."   
  
He broke from his euphoric thoughts of the massive destruction he would inflict upon the Scarrans and looked at Crichton's clone still kneeling by the woman. "I must go back and see how he did that. What was it he was building, Officer Sun?"  
  
Aeryn's voice was raw but loud enough for him to hear, "Your destruction."  
  
Scorpius shrugged, and walked back over to the controls. "No matter...I will get it myself."  
  
"NO!! Leave her alone!" the clone's hand reached out to block Scorpius' trying to prevent him from pressing the button that would send Aeryn into another round of spasms.  
  
"Really, Crichton, are you deaf or just stupid? You cannot stop me."  
  
"No, but I can help you," he said evenly. He turned around and looked over at Aeryn. "But you have to let her go first."  
  
"Why would I do that?"  
  
"I know how to do it. Make the weapon. If you let her go...I'll help you."  
  
"Very well." Scorpius pressed a button, releasing the Sebacean from the Aurora chair. When the last restraint snapped open, she rolled forward, collapsing onto the floor. Scorpius stood over her and folded his arms, waiting for the clone to speak.   
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Talyn you MUST calm down! We *will* get Officer Sun back. But we must have your full cooperation!"  
  
"I don't have time for this crap, Crais."  
  
"Understood," Crais snapped. "Talyn, please. If we are to get her off the command carrier safely, you must do as we ask."  
  
Talyn responded with a fury of pulsating lights, low frequency pings and beeps that caused Crais to ball his fists and tighten his lips. "That...is suicide, Talyn, and it won't save Officer Sun."  
  
John had had enough. "Hey, wunderkind! Incase you didn't notice," John pointed to the view screen where Scorpius still stood over Aeryn. "Aeryn just saved all our asses. Scorpius still doesn't have a clue about us and we don't need your teenage angst blowing our cover. Now pipe down and let the adults deal with this."   
  
The electronic murmuring that answered John was short and then followed by silence. "Thank you, Talyn, for understanding." Crais answered.  
  
John tapped his comm, "D'Argo? We have a problem."  
  
"Is it Aeryn?"  
  
"Yeah. Scorpy's got her."  
  
"Frell."  
  
"That's what I said. Is everything all set on your end? We'll need to move fast."  
  
"I am ready."  
  
"Good. I'll be down soon as I can."  
  
"Crichton, we have approximately a half arn before the next patrol is within D'Argo's range," Crais said. He walked over to the communications console and looked it over. "I've had Talyn monitoring the carrier--we have their comms frequency and we will signal you once we know Aeryn's location."  
  
Crais handed John the ident chip of the Peacekeeper Rygel killed. "This...belongs to Officer Trinan Dorrack of the Aquidnian Company, Zoamar Regiment. When you need it, his security clearance will allow you access to top security clearance areas--maximum security requires genetic identification."  
  
John slipped the tags around his neck as Crais reached over and pulled a data chip from the console. He held it out to John.  
  
"And...as you requested, I had Talyn work on a program for you to download onto the main system of the carrier. It will wipe all the data stores clean and then leave the ship immobile."  
  
"How long will the carrier be offline?"  
  
"A quarter arn if the techs figure it out, half arn if they don't. Be sure you are able to escape before you begin the download. You should have just enough time to return and for us to starburst before they are able to pursue us."  
  
Crais looked Crichton in the eyes and studied him for a moment. "I would never let anything happen to Aeryn, you know that, don't you?"   
  
Usually skeptical of anything Bialar Crais had to say, John knew that he meant it. It killed him to think that Crais had been around to help Aeryn after his twin's death, but there was nothing he could do to change that. They had that bond now, and John had seen Crais' protectiveness toward Aeryn on many an occasion since their return.   
  
He sighed and nodded, "I know...and thank you, Crais."  
  
Crais nodded in kind. "Return safely."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
John patted himself down quickly to double-check the locations of the chips he needed aboard the carrier. Ident chip under shirt...virus chip in left side-pocket of pants. Winona on right leg...extra charges for pistol inside left of jacket...mini comms built into rank insignia on shoulder. Ready...set...  
  
The patrol was within visual range but not quite in place. They had one short gap of time when the Prowler would be in a blind spot, so to speak, at the rear of the carrier within its wake and off the carrier's sensors. John fired up the engines and reset the Prowler's comms frequency. Immediately, he began hearing the voices of the pilot they were about to kill and the traffic control crew in the carrier's command post. Rolling his Prowler forward, John took a deep breath and held it.  
  
Crais' voice broke the silence. "Crichton...ready?"  
  
"Ready." John's hands gripped the steering mechanism tightly.  
  
"D'Argo?"  
  
"He is in my sights"  
  
"On my count...five...four...three...two...one...FIRE!!"  
  
D'Argo opened fire, hitting the Prowler dead-on and blowing it up in a brilliant flash.  
  
At the instant the fighter exploded, John shot out of Talyn, blasted through the afterglow and followed the same trajectory the fighter had been on. He let out a deep breath and came around over the top of the carrier to finish the last leg of the patrol.  
  
From where they were hiding--behind and slightly below the carrier--Talyn's crew had never gotten a good look at the wormhole Scorpius was using. John knew about it from Linfer, but until that moment when he crested the carrier, he had never seen it. For the first time since the day he tumbled into one, John looked at this wormhole not with wonder or anticipation but with wariness and trepidation. There was still a small part of him that wanted to just fly right into it and hope like hell it took him home away from all this madness, but he wasn't in his module, he doubted Earth could be found at it's source, and most of all, he did not have Aeryn. There was no point in even thinking about it.  
  
"Recon six, report in, please. Recon six?"  
  
John quickly realized they were talking to him. He cleared his throat and gave them his best Sebacean accent. "Recon 6 reporting in."  
  
"We detected a major disturbance on your trajectory, please verify."  
  
"I felt it too, command. Must have run into some sort of...electromagnetic interference due to the proximity of the wormhole. I don't see anything out here though."  
  
"Very well. You are clear to return."  
  
John completed the programmed course of the patrol and landed his Prowler in the most out-of-the-way area of the docking hangar he could find. Another Prowler detail was just getting ready to deploy as John heard two clicks from his comms badge. Crais. He tapped the badge three times in return--their signal to stand-by so he could find a proper hiding area to talk.  
  
John ducked into a nearby maintenance closet and blocked the door with a container of chakan oil. He leaned against some shelves with various bits and pieces of Prowler parts and commed Crais back.  
  
"Did you find her, Crais?"  
  
"I believe so..."  
  
"You *believe* so, or you *know* so?"  
  
"I don't know this for sure, but I think Scorpius is keeping her nearby his quarters."  
  
"Great. Call me when you know for sure."  
  
"We've been monitoring the comms channels and no one has mentioned a prisoner--least of all a former Peacekeeper. That leads me to believe that Aeryn is not far from Scorpius. If what you say is true--that your neural clone speaks to Scorpius--Scorpius may be using Aeryn as a means of...negotiation."  
  
"Granted. So where the *hell* is she?"  
  
"I think I have an idea where."  
  
"Well, lay it on me already."  
  
"There is a secret room off Scorpius' quarters that all Captains are afforded. Usually it is used to...meet...with subordinates without fear of reprisal."  
  
"You mean a recreation room?!" John shook his head, smiling to himself. Well, that gives rec room a whole new meaning, doesn't it? "Crais, you dawg!"  
  
"It is common practice among Captains."  
  
"Right, right. Clock's a tickin' here, Crais, just tell me I don't have to walk through the House of Horrors to get to Aeryn."  
  
"No, you will need to go down to the level below--to the general living quarters. At the end of the corridor, on the hammond side, there is a Peacekeeper symbol on the wall. Place the ident chip in a hidden slot along the top of the symbol. It will open up a passageway that leads right to the room. At the end of the passageway, you will need to insert your chip again to get into the room."  
  
"Thanks 99, I'll be sure to call you from my shoe when I get there."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Aeryn stood flat up against the wall, not moving, listening intently to the noise coming toward her. Someone was coming; she could hear the rustling and steps behind the wall and she was ready. Scorpius thought she was out of it--used up and weak--she was anything but that. She made a fist and held her arm up, ready to hit whoever it was in the head, knocking them out. Then she would get out of there, steal a Prowler, and get back to Talyn.  
  
A panel slid open and Aeryn remained still.  
  
"Aeryn?" came the fervent whisper.  
  
"John?"  
  
He looked to his right and saw her standing there, fist cocked, still ready to strike. He instinctively covered his head and stepped back. "Whoa...you were expecting the Spanish Inquisition?"  
  
She put her arm down and let out the breath she had been holding. "I was expecting Scorpius, but hoping for Braca."  
  
"Braca?...I'm crushed." John said, dejectedly.  
  
"You would have been just that if you were Braca," she said.  
  
They were facing each other for the first time in what felt to both of them like a lifetime. John put his hand out to touch her bruised cheek--his face betraying hints of hurt, anger, concern and longing all at once. Aeryn reached up and took his hand, stopping him as she interlaced her fingers with his. She gave his hand a gentle squeeze and smiled at him.  
  
"I'm all right, John."  
  
His eyes searched her face, and his own warm smile brightened as he realized she was glad to see *him*. "So you are."  
  
They stayed like that--smiling at each other--for another microt before they both broke away.  
  
"What's the plan?" they said at the same time.  
  
Aeryn put her hands on her hips and with one eyebrow raised, gazed at John. "What? The great John Crichton doesn't have a plan?" she said with mock indignation.  
  
"Well...you...you'd just change it anyway!"  
  
"You're right. Well, first thing we do is get the frell out of this room and find a more secure hiding place."   
  
John bowed and gestured toward the opening. "Former Peacekeepers first."  
  
Aeryn brushed past him and began her descent along the narrow staircase with John following closely behind. She glanced over her shoulder at him briefly to see he was concentrating on his footsteps down the steep incline.   
  
"Crichton, who's ident chip are you using to get around?"  
  
"Trinan Dorrack, Acquidnian Company, Zoamar Regiment. Know him?"  
  
"Not at all, but I can figure out where his quarters are. I'll need another pulse pistol--mine was confiscated. And his quarters will be safe for a short time. We can figure out our plan there."  
  
"Sounds good. But, hey, uh, don't you think Scorpy is going to miss you?"  
  
"Probably not for a while. Someone else has his attention."  
  
They reached the end of the passageway and opened the door. There were only a few people in the corridor, and Aeryn, who paced herself a bit ahead of John, was able to lead them down to the next level without anyone really paying attention to who they were. She went another quarter of the way down the corridor and paused. She nodded toward the door to her left. John moved in and quickly pushed the ident chip into the slot. Nothing. John half expected sirens to go off and PKs to come out of every orifice, but there was nothing. Aeryn had moved on to the next door, so John followed and tried again. Bingo.  
  
Slipping into the small room, Aeryn headed right for something that John thought looked like a footlocker.   
  
"How the hell did you know where to find his room?"  
  
"Living quarters are arranged by company and then in order of rank. The symbol on the ident chip matches their rank, so I had a pretty good idea."  
  
"Baby, you are good."  
  
She looked up, flashed him a quick grin and turned back to the task at hand.  
  
She felt around behind the locker underneath the bed's platform and dislodged something then unlocked the container. John just stood there watching her in amazement. He figured he would have been back in the Aurora chair or reduced to liquid remains after some nasty test flight by now without Aeryn.   
  
She could feel him watching her as she tossed a few uniforms onto the floor, so she explained quickly, "Old trick the senior cadets teach you so you never lose your key. Or your spare weapon."  
  
"Uh...huh."  
  
With that, Aeryn pulled out a pulse pistol and showed it to John. She unzipped her Tech coveralls and took them off before John could say anything. It didn't matter though because she had her regular Peacekeeper surplus on underneath. She slid the pistol into her leg holster and then reached back into the trunk for some extra charges.   
  
"So, who's got Scorpy's attention?" John asked.  
  
"Your neural clone."  
  
"I thought that's what was happening."  
  
"Seems that you have a habit of trying to save me. Even when you aren't really there."  
  
"Can you blame me?" John said with a sheepish grin.  
  
Aeryn closed the trunk and sat down on it. "Blame you? No. I understand it all too well."  
  
Not wanting to get into that discussion, John changed the subject. "So how much information do you think Harvey-me is dishing out?"  
  
"Honestly, I don't know. I'm assuming he's telling him how to make the wormhole weapon...the displacement engine."  
  
"Damn. I hope not." John tried to think about what he would do if Aeryn's life were on the line. How much information would he give? Well, *he* didn't have any information to give away easily. But he would do whatever it took to save Aeryn.  
  
"Well, I'm also pretty sure that Scorpius is in the lab right now supervising the construction. If that's the case, how do you plan on stopping him?"  
  
John reached into his pants pocket and pulled out the virus chip. "With this. It's a virus that will wipe out all the data and suspend all the carrier's functions long enough for us to escape."  
  
"That's all well and good, Crichton, but how will you stop Scorpius? As long as he's got a version of you in his head, he's got the information." Aeryn paused, and looked up at John. "He knows about Furlow, now, too. He could just as well go after her and convince her to work with him."  
  
"You're right. Donald Trump he ain't, but I'm sure Scorpy would find a way to...secure her allegiance."  
  
"This all has to end here, John. You know that don't you?"  
  
"That was the plan, Aeryn."  
  
"So what next?"  
  
John ran his hand through his hair and thought for a moment. "Well, we'll need to find out exactly what Scorpius is doing with his new bit of information. Then, we set about changing his plans."  
  
"Maybe we should get back down to the waste vents where it's safer and contact Crais. He is still monitoring the lab isn't he?"  
  
"Yup. That's a great idea. We'll have him relay the sound from the lab."  
  
Aeryn stood up and walked to the door. "Ready?"  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
The weapon was nearly complete. Scorpius had the techs working double-time since Crichton's clone began giving him instructions. It wouldn't be long before they could attach the engine to a Prowler and begin the testing. From the lab where he was supervising the progress, Scorpius ordered command to move out of the path to the nearby moon they would be using as a target.   
  
All he needed now was a pilot. He turned to Braca and said quietly, "Braca, please go prepare Officer Sun for the test mission."  
  
"Very well, sir."  
  
At that moment, Scorpius could feel Crichton's clone nearby. He walked away from the tech team as Braca left the room, making sure he was a safe enough distance away--he didn't want to be overheard.  
  
"You can't use her as the pilot," Crichton said.  
  
"She is a trained Prowler pilot, is she not?"  
  
"Not the point, Scorpy."  
  
"Then what *is* your point, John?"  
  
"The point is that I can't instruct *her* on how to fly the Prowler to make the weapon work."  
  
"I will relay the instruction."  
  
"It doesn't work that way. It's almost instinctive--timing is everything and it can't be off even a microt. I can guide you from inside your head. No middle man needed."  
  
Scorpius looked at the neuroclone, frowning. "I can hardly take that risk."  
  
"You don't have another choice. There is no other way. Besides, you wouldn't want to disappoint high command with another failure, would you?"  
  
Silence and a glare.  
  
Crichton's clone moved closer, whispering close to Scorpius' head, "They may think twice, you know, about leaving a half-breed in charge of dishwashing, never mind wormhole technology or the defense of the Sebacean race. You *need* this to work if you are to defeat the Scarrans. Who else are you going to trust?"  
  
Scorpius moved away from the clone and back toward the tech team. He signaled Braca who was at the doorway to Scorpius' quarters.  
  
"Braca..."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"Disregard the last order I gave you. I will be flying this mission." 


	4. Chapter 4 & Epilogue

Aeryn and John had been listening as Scorpius gave instructions to the techs. It all sounded like it should be familiar to John, but he couldn't quite wrap his mind around how it all fit together. Aeryn had been particularly quiet as she heard the list of components they were using.  
  
At one point she looked startled and grew still. She seemed to be in a daze, but a little while later, once the techs seemed to have everything they needed, Aeryn turned and looked at John.  
  
"It's not going to work," she declared.  
  
"What do you mean it's not going to work?"  
  
"I mean, the frelling thing is not a weapon."  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
"They aren't using enough Partanium."  
  
"Again, how do you know?"  
  
Aeryn paused and seemed to be weighing her words. "It's not enough to kill a man...Not quickly anyway."  
  
John couldn't meet Aeryn's eyes. He felt like an ass. "Right. My bad. Sorry."  
  
She put her hand on his knee and said quietly, "You don't have to keep apologizing, John. You didn't know and I don't blame you. So stop blaming yourself."  
  
"I'll try."  
  
Their surveillance continued for a while longer and John's thoughts wandered in and around his own wormhole experiences--falling through them, making them, running tests on them. Every situation catalogued, every detail noted.  
  
"Aeryn, you said that when John used the displacement engine he had to create a wormhole right?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Using the solar flares from the star near Dam Ba Da?"  
  
"Yes, just like you had done it the first time a couple of cycles ago."  
  
"And the engine caused a piece of that star to shoot out the worm hole. Great balls of fire and everything."  
  
Aeryn was becoming frustrated with this line of questioning. John had already been told everything that happened. Not by her of course, but the information should have been satisfactory.  
  
"Yes, John, what about it?"  
  
"Do you see any solar flares? I don't see any solar flares out there. That means there's no star close enough to draw on to make the weapon fire."  
  
Suddenly, John felt like the lightbulb had gone on over his head. His excitement grew as he began to explain to Aeryn, "Linfer told us this wormhole is part of a nexus of wormholes that already exist. There's no major power source nearby--no star. No bullet for the gun."  
  
Aeryn's eyes got wide as she realized the implications of both their revelations. "You mean that your neuroclone just set Scorpius up for failure?"  
  
Slowly, John nodded his head, his smile growing bigger with every passing microt. "Ummhmm." he answered.  
  
They continued to wait, bouncing ideas back and forth about the best way to deliver the virus and still remain undetected by Scorpius but neither of them could find a way that didn't result in one of them being either recognized and/or captured. They began to argue over who should be the one to take the risk.  
  
"Hey, I can always pretend to be Harvey-me if Scorpius catches me. I get close, shoot him and...badabing!...he's gone. I can download the virus from his quarters. No prob," he said, shrugging.  
  
"Brilliant, John, really. You're a genius," Aeryn said sarcastically. "And what about when the rest of the crew sees you? Hmm? You think Braca's going to fall for you being an illusion?"  
  
John was trying hard not to show he saw the flaw in his plan too. He just wanted Aeryn out of danger.   
  
"Nuh...well..." John blustered until he burst out, "You know your way around a Prowler better. Yeah. So you need to be waiting for me so we can get off this frelling ship fast."  
  
"And I know my way around the carrier better and am more likely to be able to escape. So you need to be waiting in the hangar for me."  
  
"Escape? Listen Birdman, I think *I* was the one who rescued *you* not too long ago. Remember?"  
  
Aeryn looked down at him and folded her arms across her chest. "I hardly needed rescuing. If I remember correctly, I was going to kill whoever came into that room and escape just fine."  
  
"Right."  
  
"Crichton. Aeryn. Can you hear me?" It was D'Argo's voice coming through on John's comms.  
  
They both stopped their bickering and snapped. "What?!"  
  
"Were you listening just then?"  
  
"No," John said. "Listening to what?"  
  
Crais answered this time, "Scorpius is going to fly the mission."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Positive," D'Argo said. "He should be ready in an arn or so."  
  
Simultaneously, John and Aeryn said, "I have a plan!"  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
He was ready. The weapon was attached to a Prowler and he was ready to board. He stepped onto the ladder leading into the cockpit.   
  
"Sir, I don't think this is a good idea."  
  
Scorpius turned around and looked at his second-in-command. "So noted, Braca. But I must take responsibility for my research. I know for a fact that this will work. So no need to concern yourself any longer."  
  
"Really, sir, if you know it will work, why don't you let me fly the mission?"  
  
"Because I am ordering you not to. I will fly the mission. Now, go take your place in command."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
Scorpius settled himself in the Prowler and began flipping switches to turn on the manual drive. He didn't want to take the risk that someone would interfere. The hatch lowered and Scorpius fired up the engines. As soon as conditions were optimum, he would launch the Prowler. Before long, the techs gave him the word that the wormhole had reached its maximum stability. His wait was over.  
  
The wormhole was up ahead, the moon in its path. A blue-glow flooded the Prowler cabin as he got closer to the swirling wormhole. He entered a trajectory that would take him on his spiraling course around the mouth of it until it caused a fireball strong enough to destroy that moon. Scorpius felt...excited. Empowered. His destiny only microts away.  
  
The Prowler shook quite a bit on his first couple loops around, but he could see the small flame beginning to form along his path. It was getting difficult to keep his hands on the controls, but he was able to keep the fighter on course and the flaming track brightening.   
  
"Now! Scorpius, Now! You have to drop down more towards the center of the wormhole opening. You need to draw out the fireball. Do it NOW!!" John's neuroclone yelled.  
  
Scorpius complied and with all his strength he steadied the Prowler as it began its descent. "Now what, John!?"  
  
"Now you say good-bye to everything you ever knew. I hope you packed a bag, Scorpy."  
  
"What...are..."  
  
In an instant, Scorpius was sucked into the wormhole, ricocheting off its walls and tumbling uncontrollably. He yelled and tried frantically to regain some control, but he was pinned with the force of his momentum and the weapon began to melt off and tear away from the Prowler. One more spinning jolt and Scorpius passed out.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
As soon as Scorpius had boarded the Prowler, John and Aeryn knew that that was their chance at loading the virus successfully. They couldn't have asked for a better distraction, and they had agreed it would be best for them to go together so they could cover for one another. The only Peacekeepers in the corridors were the ones rushing to get to the observation deck in time to see their commander secure them all the glory that would eventually come from having developed a superior weapon. John and Aeryn slipped through unnoticed.  
  
Aeryn got them into the command deck just as Scorpius was beginning his first sweep around the wormhole's mouth. John sneaked into the room while Aeryn stood in the doorway blocking the entrance. She watched, stony-faced, as Scorpius continued on his flight. It looked real enough. She didn't know how the neuralclone would pull off the deception, but they had to be out of there before Scorpius could return. As soon as they downloaded the virus and escaped, D'Argo was to fly in and destroy Scorpius' Prowler before the carrier could respond. There would be no mistake this time. But if something *did* go wrong, and they were caught, Aeryn had no doubt that Scorpius would take out his anger on her. And most certainly, John. She couldn't allow that to happen. It would definitely end here no matter what.  
  
John sat at the first available console. Everyone had their backs to him fixated on the amazing vision of this blazing funnel. He pushed the chip in and pressed a button on the panel starting the download. He watched to make sure the data was accessed by the main computer. He looked at Aeryn, gave her the thumbs-up and she covered his retreat out the door. They hadn't gone more than a few steps when he heard Crais' voice blaring from his comms.  
  
"Crichton!! Get out of there now!!!"  
  
"What the hell's the matter?!"  
  
"It's Talyn. He did not create a virus."  
  
Just then the lights began to flicker and die out. Red lights began to flash and John and Aeryn picked up the pace. Aeryn could see that John was becoming livid. His brow was furrowed and his lip curled.  
  
"Crais, what did that little piss-ant do?"  
  
"He created a self-destruct program."  
  
"And you're just telling me now?!"  
  
"I figured it out as I monitored their systems failure, and Talyn has now confirmed it."  
  
"How long do we have?"  
  
"200 microts and counting."  
  
Aeryn pushed John down another corridor. "A shortcut," she said brusquely.  
  
They were almost to the hangar when the self-destruct sequence began echoing throughout the command carrier. One hundred microts left. Peacekeepers were pouring out of the different rooms--many of them coming up fast behind John and Aeryn. Once again, no one took notice of the ex-Peacekeeper and the human. They were too busy trying to get out of the carrier that threatened to blow up. John and Aeryn could hear snatches of harried conversations cursing "that half-breed bastard" and "Scarran traitor" who "stole" the wormhole technology and "escaped" through the wormhole itself, but not before he condemned them all to die.   
  
John and Aeryn gave each other a quick look of astonishment. Scorpius was gone. Sucked through the wormhole to who knew where. If they weren't in such danger, John would have rolled onto the floor laughing at the irony.  
  
"Bon Voyage, Scorpy!" he yelled.  
  
The Prowler John had used was thankfully still docked where he left it. He grabbed Aeryn's hand and pushed his way past some other pilots also attempting to escape. He bounded up the ladder, hopped into the small area behind the main seat, and helped Aeryn in. She pulled down the hatch and brought the Prowler to life. They were one of the first fighters off the carrier. Once safely away, they could see several other Prowlers exiting the carrier--some of them flying straight into the wormhole. John wondered if they had a clue as to what they were getting into.  
  
Talyn was visible now, as was D'Argo's ship. Aeryn flew the Prowler as fast as possible toward them while John contacted Crais with their location and ETA. They weren't alone though--several other Commandos were on their tail, having noticed the seemingly Peacekeeper ship that must have been sent to rescue them. D'Argo and Talyn--their ships still connected--opened fire, blasting the Prowlers out of the sky as Aeryn was pulled into Talyn's docking bay.   
  
As the first explosion crippled the command carrier, Crais yelled, "Now, Talyn! Starburst!"  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Epilogue  
  
Crais and Talyn had been gone for a couple of weekens now to find a real Pilot--like Moya's--for Talyn who was wise and able to teach Talyn what he needed to know to survive using more than his weapons. Crais had said he planned to stay aboard Talyn in a less conspicuous capacity. More as a military advisor rather than the sole being Talyn interacted with on a regular basis. Before he left, he expressed his wish to Aeryn and John that they all meet up again soon.   
  
At the moment though, Moya orbited the Royal Planet waiting patiently for her passengers to return. John had stayed aboard her for obvious reasons, but distance didn't diminish his feelings of sorrow for what was going on down there. Aeryn had received permission to secretly bury the body of John Crichton on the Royal Palace grounds. D'Argo, Chiana, Jool, and Rygel had accompanied Aeryn in spite of her protests to the contrary. They reminded her that John--any John--was their friend, too, and it would seem odd if none of them were there to pay their respects. Mainly they just wanted to be there for her. In the end, she couldn't deny them.  
  
John no longer felt any lingering animosity toward his other self. Not for loving Aeryn, not for having the wormhole knowledge figured out, not for having exorcised Harvey. He would have that jackpot someday too. And more. It just took...time.  
  
A couple of arns later, Aeryn and the rest of the crew returned. John waited at the docking bay for them to debark from the transport pod. Nothing but somber faces emerged, but he was greeted in turn by a pat on the shoulder, a bear hug and a quick kiss, a gentle squeeze of the hand, and a regal nod. Aeryn was the last one out and for the first time John noticed a couple of lines around her eyes that hadn't been there before, but he also saw a peacefulness about her that had been missing since she returned from Talyn after his twin's death.  
  
"Hello, John," she said and stopped in front of him.   
  
He looked in her eyes, brushed back a stray hair from her face and took her hand. They walked along the corridor in silence toward the common room where John had a meal waiting for them. Just outside the door, Aeryn stopped and bent down fiddling with her boot. She pulled something out, stood up and pressed it into John's hand.   
  
"I saved this for you."  
  
It was Scorpius' data chip with the wormhole knowledge.  
  
"I thought it would be...useful to you."  
  
He leaned in and kissed her gently on the cheek. "Thank you, Aeryn."  
  
John looked at it for a moment. He turned it over in his hands--it was all there. The ins and outs of wormholes. And it was as useless to him as it was to Scorpius. He had the secret message but not the decoder ring. The Ancients' warning echoed in the back of his mind as he contemplated everything the chip offered: "If you're not smart enough to discover it for yourself...you're not smart enough to use it wisely."   
  
He already knew too much about the evils of wormholes thanks to his twin, Furlow, and Scorpius, and his presence alone put everyone on board Moya at risk every day for what he may know. The data chip was just one more thing to fight over and possibly lose to some other God-like alien. He wouldn't sacrifice another friend for it. There wasn't much he could do about what was in his head, but he could do something about that chip.  
  
John bent down and put the data chip on the floor. Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, John raised his foot and let it slam down on the chip, shattering it into several pieces. He sighed and stared at the scattered shards. Pushing the pieces aside with his foot, he said quietly, "It's for the best."   
  
Aeryn looked at him stunned. "What?! Are you completely fahrbot? Wait...no...let me answer that...you *are*. I hand you everything you've been searching for and you destroy it?! Why?"  
  
"It's not destroyed, Aeryn." John pointed to his head. "It's all up here. I'll figure it out on my own and in my own time. Right now there are more important...destinies...to pursue."   
  
Aeryn wanted to believe him more than anything. She had to be sure. "I thought your destiny was to return home. To Earth."  
  
John became very serious. He bent down slightly to meet Aeryn's shifting gaze. He locked on and held her with one look. "Baby, I *am* home."  
  
John put his arm around Aeryn's shoulders and they walked into the common room together.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Scorpius had been floating through space in the dead Prowler for what seemed like weekens. The wormhole had disappeared shortly after he exited it, leaving him no means to return. He fell in and out of consciousness as he tried to control the coolant rods in his head. When he could think coherently, he knew he would survive this. An opportunity would present itself soon enough. He could see a bright planet off in the distance and tried to calculate how long it would take for him to get there if he could just get the Prowler back on line.   
  
"Give it up, Scorpy. You don't know where you are, and you don't look so good."  
  
"Silence, Crichton."  
  
"No, really, I think you need help. I'll call 9-1-1."  
  
Scorpius could feel the heat rising in the Prowler. In the confines of his suit he was unable to tell if his body was breaking down like all the other test pilots. He did know that he was already tired of Crichton filling his head, breaking his concentration. Maybe death *would* be preferable. Just as he was contemplating a means to silence the neuroclone forever, the Prowler lurched forward violently as something crashed into it from behind. Scorpius' head slammed into the console and he blacked out again, but not before John Crichton's voice echoed in his brain one more time. "Th..thh...That's all, folks."  
  
THE END. 


End file.
